The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finally launched the Cyber Talent Management System (CTMS) to enable more effective recruitment, development, and retention of cybersecurity talent.
The CTMS lets the department screen applicants for cyber positions based on evident aptitude, offers competitive compensation, and reduces the longevity of the hiring period. Personnel hired through CTMS will join the department’s Cybersecurity Service, a team tasked with protecting U.S. critical infrastructure and citizens from cyber threats and increasing national resilience.
“The DHS CTMS fundamentally re-imagines how [DHS] hires, develops, and retains top-tier and diverse cybersecurity talent,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a video release.
The program will initially be aimed at filling vacancies at the DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the DHS Office of the Chief Information Officer but beginning next year, it will help fill cybersecurity positions at several other DHS agencies with career opportunities at every level.
“As our nation continues to face an evolving threat landscape, we cannot rely only on traditional hiring tools to fill mission-critical vacancies. This new system will enable our department to better compete for cybersecurity professionals and remain agile enough to meet the demands of our critical cybersecurity mission,” Mayorkas said.
While current DHS employees are not obligated to join the CTMS, senior DHS officials say they should consider it because they will have significantly more flexibility and opportunities for growth in their careers.
CTMS has been in the works for eight years. The CTMS resulted from 2014 legislation in which Congress gave the DHS the authority to set up its personnel system around cybersecurity. The DHS Cybersecurity Workforce Recruitment and Retention Act of 2014 helped address the DHS’ critical challenges in hiring and retaining cybersecurity professionals.
